Affiliations: Department of Biochemical Sciences and Laboratory of
Clinical Biochemistry, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy | Department of Pediatrics, University of Ulm,
Germany | Department of Pediatrics, University of Heidelberg,
Germany | Loges-School of Physical Medicine, Bad Harzburg,
Germany
Note: [] Address for correspondence: C. Salerno, Laboratory of Clinical
Biochemistry, via dei Sardi 58, 00185 Roma, Italy. Tel./Fax: +39 064463776;
E-mail: costantino.salerno@uniromal.it
Abstract: Human neutrophils are short-lived cells that play important roles in
host defense and acute inflammation by releasing hydrolytic and cytotoxic
proteins and reactive oxygen derivatives. Apoptosis, a physiological mechanism
for cell death, regulates both production and survival of neutrophils,
representing a basic biological mechanism for this type of cells. Carotenoids
may react with toxic oxygen metabolites released by neutrophils to form a
multitude of carotenoid cleavage products that exert, in turn, relevant
prooxidative biological effects. Recent data suggest that carotenoid oxidation
products may affect neutrophil viability and function by exerting proapoptotic
activity and interfering with superoxide production by activated cells. The
prooxidant and proapoptotic activities of carotenoid oxidation products could
account, at least in some cases, for the procancerogenic properties of
carotenoid rich diet.
Keywords: Carotenoid, neutrophil, apoptosis, inflammation, cancer
Journal: BioFactors, vol. 24, no. 1-4, pp. 185-192, 2005
